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Stress, anxiety, depression, and epilepsy: investigating the relationship between psychological factors and seizures

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 21:44 authored by Ajay Thapar, Michael Kerridge, Gordon Harold
Objective: The goal of the study described here was to examine the interrelationship between psychological factors (anxiety, stress, and depression) and seizures. Methods: In this longitudinal cohort study, data on anxiety, depression, perceived stress, and seizure recency (time since last seizure) and frequency were collected at two time points using standard validated questionnaire measures. Empirically based models with psychological factors explaining change in (1) seizure recency and (2) seizure frequency scores across time were specified. We then tested how these psychological factors acted together in predicting seizure recency and frequency. Our data were used to test whether these models were valid for the study population. Latent variable structural equation modeling was used for the analysis. Results: Four hundred thirty-three of the 558 individuals who initially consented to participate provided two waves of data for this analysis. Stress (ß = 0.25, P < 0.01), anxiety (ß = 0.30, P < 0.01), and depression (ß = 0.30, P < 0.01) all predicted change in seizure recency. However, it was depression that mediated the relationship of both anxiety and stress with modeled change in seizure recency (ß = 0.19, P < 0.01) and seizure frequency (ß = 0.30, P < 0.01) over time. Conclusion: Depression mediates the relationship between stress and anxiety and change in seizure recency and seizure frequency. These findings highlight the importance of depression management in addition to seizure management in the assessment and treatment of epilepsy in an adult population. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Epilepsy and Behavior

ISSN

1525-5050

Publisher

Academic Press Inc

Issue

1

Volume

14

Page range

134-140

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2015-08-17

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